


Cheek to Cheek (Find the Happiness I Seek)

by Synekdokee



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, First Times, Fluff, M/M, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Slow Dancing, everything is cherik and nothing hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-10
Updated: 2013-07-10
Packaged: 2017-12-18 08:25:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/877718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synekdokee/pseuds/Synekdokee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They repeated the steps, over and over again, Charles learning to lean into Erik for support. Erik no longer counted the beats for them, the rhythm coming to Charles naturally as he followed Erik. </p><p>They’d moved closer without Charles noticing, Erik’s arm now curling intimately around him, Charles’s chin brushing at Erik’s shoulder. When Erik spoke, his breath tickled Charles’s skin in warm puffs. </p><p>“Your sister will be surprised,” he said, his voice a pleasant rumble in Charles’s ear. </p><p>“I’m sure she’ll accuse me of witchcraft,” Charles laughed. “I was hopeless at this when we were younger, much to our mother’s consternation.”</p><p>“Maybe you just needed a better teacher.”</p><p>Charles tilted his head back to look at Erik. “Or the right partner,” he murmured. </p><p>Erik took a deep breath, looking caught off guard. </p><p>“Perhaps you just bring out the best in me,” he said finally, sounding a little gruff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cheek to Cheek (Find the Happiness I Seek)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ikeracity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikeracity/gifts).



> A bit of fluff for my peanut, for all the prompts I have persuaded her to fill for me, and for all the Max/Sternwood surprises in my askbox. Love u, buttcake 8)
> 
>  
> 
> (Title from Fred Astaire's Dancing Cheek to Cheek.)

“Big plans for the weekend?” Erik asked, his voice pleasantly gruff after the long silence. Charles handed him a glass of whisky, shivering slightly as their fingers brushed.

 

It had been a long evening of going over accounts and drawing budgets for their deadline. They had moved from Charles’s study to the living room, Erik spreading his work on the coffee table and the sofa, Charles choosing the comfortable arm chair. Or it had been comfortable four hours ago, but after a while it had started to make Charles’s buttocks and back scream for mercy. Finally he had gotten up with a luxurious stretch, telling himself Erik hadn’t been staring at his ass as he walked to the kitchen for a drink.

 

Charles smiled, sipping his drink. “My sister is getting married on Saturday.”

Erik’s mouth quirked in a smile. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Charles laughed. “I have to admit it’s somewhat of a relief – she’s been a bit of a rebellious soul. Settling down will be good for her.”

“Or disastrous,” Erik said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Or disastrous,” Charles agreed.

 Erik cleared his throat. “Are… you going alone?” He took a quick mouthful of his drink and met Charles’s gaze steadily, almost as though Charles’s answer was more important than just small talk. Charles felt a flush stain his cheeks.

“Ah, yes. Don’t really have anyone to go with.” _Time to lay down your cards_ , Xavier, he thought. “I could keep an eye on the groomsmen but to be honest they’re all rather young to me.”  
  
“I see…” Erik licked his lips absently, frowning into his drink thoughtfully.

Charles chewed on his bottom lip, desperate to break the hovering tension. It had transformed from the pleasantly tingling tension between them into something electric over the evening, and Charles felt a nervous need to finally gather his courage and make a move. The words sat on the tip of his tongue, waiting for that final nudge to drip out, if only Charles knew how to say them.

 

Then Erik spoke, and the moment was lost.  
  
“I hate weddings. You always end up dragged to the dance floor against your will.”

Charles barked out a laugh. “Indeed. And I’m certain Raven will want a dance with her brother, and I have two left feet and not much coordination when it comes to rhythmic movement.”

Erik huffed, giving Charles one of those familiar smirks. “Just sway a bit and you’ll be fine.”

Charles tilted his empty glass and got up to refill. “I’m thinking of taking last minute lessons. Only for waltz, or one of those simpler things.” He slumped against the counter. “Why am I cursed with clumsy feet?”

Erik laughed and got up to join him. “It’s not that difficult. You just have to listen to the music.”

Charles frowned. “Raven keeps telling me I have no sense of rhythm.”

Erik rolled his eyes.  “You need to work on your self-confidence.” He hesitated, then seemed to steel himself. “I could teach you.”

Charles stared, ignoring the sharp jolt of pleasure in his gut.

“I’m not the best student, I’m miserable at physical things,” he said, suddenly feeling panicky.

Erik shrugged. “Won’t hurt to try. I won’t charge you,” he added playfully.

“We don’t have music!” Charles blurted, feeling like an idiot. _Stop protesting you fool_ , he told himself.

Erik slipped his hand into the pocked of his slacks and pulled out a sleek smart phone, tapping it a few times. Elegant string music flowed from the speakers, slightly tinny as Erik set the phone down on the counter with his unfinished whisky.

“Well?” he said, quirking an eyebrow. Charles swallowed, setting his drink down next to Erik with a happy clink of glass.

Erik smiled, not the sharp grin Charles was used to, but a soft, friendly curve of his lips. He offered Charles his hand in a formal invitation. Charles laughed nervously, giving his shoulders a shake, and put his hand in Erik’s.

 

“I’ll lead first,” Erik said, drawing Charles to the middle of the room. “Then when you get the feel of it, I’ll show you how to lead.”

Charles nodded stiffly, fumbling as Erik positioned them. “Put your right hand in mine, light but firm,” Erik guided him. He grasped Charles’s left hand and placed it on his own shoulder, and then slid is right arm to Charles’s waist, drawing a surprised breath from Charles.

Charles didn’t know where to look. He was worried if he looked Erik in the eye, Erik would see too much.

“Alright?” Erik asked gently, moving his hand further to rest on Charles’s lower back, forcing them closer so that their chests almost brushed. Charles could smell Erik’s aftershave, pleasant and a little dizzying.

Charles nodded nervously, looking up to offer Erik a smile, almost losing his breath as he did. Erik looked – intense. Like he was betting on something, his gaze unflinching but not unkind as he met Charles’s eye. Charles licked his lips and shuffled his feet a little.

Erik nodded as though Charles had said something wise, and then he was nudging Charles’s feet apart with the tip of his socked foot.  
  
“We’ll start simple,” he said, his low voice sending a thrill down Charles’s spine. “Start with your right foot back as I move my left foot forward.”

  
Erik moved slowly, waiting for Charles to take a stumbling step back.

“Lovely, you’re a natural,” he said, giving Charles a teasing grin. Charles laughed, feeling his face burn even as he couldn’t stop the embarrassed smile.

“Now, move your left foot to the side as I move my right, and then follow with your right foot, and when you feel comfortable, count with me.”

Slowly they progressed, Charles laughing nervously as his feet got tangled up, constantly mindful not to step on Erik’s toes. Erik reminded Charles of the beat when he rushed, counting for him until Charles caught up again. Erik’s arm was warm and firm around his waist, his hold on Charles’s right hand pleasantly steadying.  
  
When they finished a full sequence without Charles stumbling once, Charles laughed giddily, preening at the approval in Erik’s eyes.

“See, you’re not nearly as hopeless as I thought,” Erik said softly. Charles gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze to punish him for the teasing. Erik pushed him back again, and they started the pattern anew, smoother which each step.

“Be nice,” Charles said sternly, but he was sure his smile betrayed him.

Erik looked at him seriously. “I’m always nice to you, have you not noticed?”

Charles stared at him, not breaking the flow of their dance, and felt his smile become more tentative, a little shyer. Erik’s expression was unbearably gentle, so unlike the serious frown Charles was used to, and it warmed Charles’s whole body.

 

They repeated the steps, over and over again, Charles learning to lean into Erik for support. Erik no longer counted the beats for them, the rhythm coming to Charles naturally as he followed Erik.

They’d moved closer without Charles noticing, Erik’s arm now curling intimately around him, Charles’s chin brushing at Erik’s shoulder. When Erik spoke, his breath tickled Charles’s skin in warm puffs.

“Your sister will be surprised,” he said, his voice a pleasant rumble in Charles’s ear.

“I’m sure she’ll accuse me of witchcraft,” Charles laughed. “I was hopeless at this when we were younger, much to our mother’s consternation.”

“Maybe you just needed a better teacher.”

Charles tilted his head back to look at Erik. “Or the right partner,” he murmured.

Erik took a deep breath, looking caught off guard.

“Perhaps you just bring out the best in me,” he said finally, sounding a little gruff. Charles grinned and ducked his head down to hide the prevailing blush.

He realised that they were no longer repeating the steps, but were instead doing a slow shuffling turn in place, the side-steps mellowed into a smooth sway. It was pleasant, and Charles felt himself relaxing against Erik’s hold, almost hypnotised by the movement and Erik’s proximity.

They swayed like that for what felt like a comfortable eternity to Charles, Erik’s hand a reassuring weight on the small of his back. When Charles felt Erik’s nose brush at the hair on his temple, followed by a ghostly brush of lips, he thought his heart would swell with joy. It felt natural to turn his face towards Erik, to nose gently at his jawline, and let Erik pull him closer until they were flush against one another, still moving in a lazy rhythm.

 

After a while Charles realised the music had died down and they were dancing to silence.

“The music stopped,” he said quietly, reluctant to stop. Erik hummed, but didn’t let go of Charles, though their dancing simmered down until they simply stood facing each other, Charles with his heart in his throat and Erik looking at him like he was waiting for sentencing.

Slowly, as though giving Charles time to flee, Erik dipped his head down, his mouth brushing at Charles’s tentatively. With a gasp, Charles surged against him, letting go of Erik’s left hand to steady himself against Erik’s chest.

It was a gentle kiss, curious and a little unsure. Then Charles pushed his tongue to trace the seam of Erik’s lips, and he sighed softly as Erik’s mouth parted, his slick tongue darting out to meet Charles’s.

They kissed lazily, learning each other slowly and eagerly. Erik’s hand cupped Charles’s cheek gently, fingers curling in his hair. A low moan escaped Erik’s throat, spilling into Charles’s mouth, and Charles took a deep breath, pulling Erik into a deeper, hungrier kiss, showing his want and need.

Erik started pushing him, moving him back clumsily. Charles stumbled with him, leaning against the arm wound around his waist. He gave out a soft cry when he hit the dining table, jolting apart from the kiss for a split second until Erik claimed him again, his mouth hot on Charles’s.

Erik’s hand slid from Charles’s back to his hip and slowly down his thigh to grip the flesh there firmly. Erik didn’t need to ask – Charles jumped and Erik lifted, and then Charles was sitting on the table, his thighs bracketing Erik’s hips as they kissed sloppily, Charles hands tangling in Erik’s crisp shirt.

 

“Christ, Charles,” Erik gasped, breaking the kiss and burying his face in the crook of Charles’s neck. Charles tugged him closer and suddenly Erik’s crotch brushed against his, his cock hard against Charles’s erection. Charles moaned, curling a leg around Erik’s strong thigh and tilted his hips up, hungry for more.

Erik groaned, hands coming up to fumble with the buttons of Charles’s shirt. “This needs to come off,” he growled, tugging one button open at a time.

Charles choked back a whine and slid his hands down Erik’s torso, aroused by the feel of hard muscle beneath the fabric, bunching his shirt up until his fingers caught on Erik’s belt. He struggled with the buckle, opening it with a metallic clink. Erik’s hips snapped forward, pressing against Charles’s cock deliciously, making them both moan.

They lost control quickly, Erik abandoning the task of opening Charles’s shirt in favour of pushing him back to lie on his back as Erik rutted against him desperately. Charles wrapped his thighs around Erik’s hips, holding him close and pushing up into the friction, frustrated by the layers of clothing.

“Please,” Charles panted, reaching between them to tug at Erik’s trousers, sobbing out a relieved moan when Erik pulled back enough to shove his slacks and boxers midway down his thighs, then moving to open Charles’s belt and flies.  
  
Charles moaned thickly at the sight of Erik’s hard cock, reaching for it with the tips of his fingers. Erik hissed and stilled as Charles brushed him, trailing a finger from the wet tip all the way to the base where he curled his fingers around the girth, giving it a firm tug.

“Gorgeous,” Charles muttered, stroking Erik gently, sounding a little out of breath. Erik panted as he thrust into Charles’s fist, the muscles on his belly bunching as fucked Charles’s hand, his mouth slack with lust.

Charles undid his own trousers with his free hand, reaching in to pull his cock out of his underwear. Erik swore filthily at the sight, leaning down to kiss Charles once more, pushing his tongue inside Charles’s mouth and drawing a low moan from Charles.

Erik lifted his head to look at Charles in the eye, expression so honest and open it made Charles’s heart catch. Charles closed his eyes as Erik kissed his jaw and neck, sucking lightly at the sensitive skin above his clavicle, puffing hot breaths against his skin.

When Erik’s large hand curled around them both, stroking them firmly, Charles cried out, hips surging up into Erik’s touch.

“Fuck, Charles, you-“ Erik cut himself off by kissing Charles again, though they were both too desperate and out of control that it was barely a kiss, their parted lips brushing as they gasped for breath.

They set a frantic rhythm, Charles clinging to Erik, using one hand to cup Erik’s ass, pulling him tighter into the cradle of his thighs. Erik jerked them off, his thumb swiping deliciously over the head of Charles’s cock, the pulse of Erik’s prick against his exciting him further.

Charles felt Erik’s pace falter, his hand losing its steadiness as Erik went stiff against him. Charles held him as he came with a tight cry, hips stuttering against Charles’s as he spilled over his own fingers, slicking Charles’s cock.

“Fuck, fuck, ah-” Erik panted, mouth pressed against Charles’s cheek as he caught his breath. His hand was still holding Charles’s hard cock and Charles whined softly, shifting his hips impatiently.

“Shhh,” Erik hushed him, tightening his grip a little, going back to stroking Charles. Charles sighed, content to let his arousal build, his balls tightening up as want curled tightly at the pit of his belly. Erik was curved over him, his taller body shielding Charles as he kissed his brow and nuzzled his cheek, his lashes brushing against Charles’s skin.

 

It didn’t take long until Charles felt the spark of his orgasm at the base of his spine, his back arching when Erik twisted his hand, his palm travelling over the head of Charles’s cock and then to the base, again and again until Charles was biting his lip to silence his whimpers. Erik bit down gently on Charles’s shoulder, hand moving over him expertly, and Charles was coming, a guttural moan spilling from his throat as he pushed his hips against Erik, pulsing over his belly, his semen mixing with Erik’s.

He slumped back with a groan, smiling at Erik’s incredulous laugh as he let go of Charles’s softening prick. He stroked Charles’s hair carefully, and Charles marvelled at how different he looked then, above him. He touched Erik’s cheek, drawing him down to another kiss. He felt less hurried, content to explore Erik’s mouth, their tongues sliding against each other, their lips swollen and sensitive.

Finally Erik pulled away, propping himself up above Charles. He still looked serious, he always did, but there was a softness around his eyes Charles had rarely seen. Charles reached up, the tips of his fingers touching at the corner of Erik’s mouth, and he sighed when Erik’s lips tilted into a smile.

“I wasn’t sure anything would ever come of this,” Charles confessed. “I’m… not the best when it comes to making a move.”

Erik snorted. “I’ve seen you at the office parties – you’re perfectly capable of making your moves.” For a moment there was something harsh in his tone, a wariness in his eyes.

“Not- not when it matters,” Charles said thickly.

Erik’s eyes widened, his mouth parting with surprise. “I thought-“ he stuttered, then stopped, staring at Charles in silence.

“What?”

Erik shook his head and gave out a low laugh. “I always saw how easy it was for you to talk to them, to ask them to join you and-“ he swallowed. “And go home with you. I thought if you liked to do it so much, if it was so easy for you, then the fact you never asked me meant.” He bit down on the rest of it, brow creasing in a frown.

“Fun is easy,” Charles said quietly, brushing a damp strand of hair from Erik’s temple. “I was scared if I asked you, fun would be all you’d want.”

“I’m not nearly always fun.” The corners of Erik’s mouth dipped down a little, and Charles pressed his thumb across Erik’s mouth.

“That’s okay,” Charles said softly. “I’m prepared for something more serious.”

Erik laughed and rested down on the table next to Charles, tugging him close.

“I do have a bed, you know,” Charles smiled.

Erik closed his eyes and curved his body towards Charles. “We’re in no rush, are we?”

 

They lay on the table, Charles feeling a little silly even as he felt himself start to drift. Maybe a nap wouldn’t hurt. They still had work to do if he wanted to avoid going in for overtime on Raven’s wedding weekend.

He turned his head towards Erik, speaking in a soft murmur. “Do you think it’s too late to let my sister know I’m bringing my dance instructor to her wedding?”

Erik’s laugh was a pleasant rumble, and his hand carded though Charles’s hair soothingly as he replied, “I’m sure she’ll be grateful when you don’t step on her dress during the waltz.”

“You’d come, then?” Charles asked tentatively.

Erik brushed a kiss to the top of his hair. “I might even dance, if you play your cards right.”


End file.
